Essentially CochinDepart by a motor coach from the pier to the boat jetty and embark a small boat for an idyllic trip through the waters of the city. For centuries these canals have provided a safe and efficient means of transportation for goods and people moving between the heartland and the port towns along the coast.
In the comfort of your boat glide along shimmering waterways past the Gundu and Vypeen islands. Get a glimpse of the large, graceful Chinese fishing nets that line the shore of Fort Cochin are probably the single most familiar image of Kerala. Observe Kerala lifestyles as your boat drifts past old harbour buildings and private homes.
At the end of the cruise your boat will drop you at the jetty at Fort Cochin. Most of Cochin’s historic buildings are in Fort Cochin, constructed by Portugal’s Alfonzo de Albuquerque in 1500. Albuquerque arrived with half a dozen ships bearing settlers and five friars, and built the first European church in India, St. Francis Church.
It is a short and pleasant walk along green and leafy streets to a typical English village green. In one corner stands the Church of St. Francis, its simple style enhanced only by the handsome floor tiles that line the main aisle. A holdover from colonial days is the continued use of punkahs, large swinging cloth fans suspended above the congregation, and manually operated from outside the church. On the same square, and in striking contrast, is the flamboyant décor of the 20th century Santa Cruz Cathedral – in an Indo-Romano-Rococo style.
Spend a few minutes watching how the Chinese Fishing Nets are operated! Said to have been introduced by traders from the court of Kublai Khan, they cantilever over the harbour and operate by a system of weights and levers. The nets, on wooden frames, are raised periodically to check the catch.
Your walk will end at the nearby Greenix Village dedicated to presenting and promoting the various facets of Kerala’s art and culture. This cultural art centre houses an art gallery restaurant, a curio shop, book shop and vignettes of Kerala’s cottage and craft industry, along with two theatres that have a daily show of ‘Kerala Kaleidoscope’ – a medley of dances. A private Kathakali performance and some light refreshments await you at this venue(KATHAKALI MAKE DANCE PERFORMANCE STARTS AT 5:30 Pm).
Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. It originated in the area of southwestern India now known as the state of Kerala. It is a well-developed dance-drama, where the actors depict characters from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The Kathakali dance performance is very dramatic and is enacted with elaborate masks and costumes. Kathakali recitals are emotive and narrative, and combine dance with dialogue to bring myth and legend to life in the temple courtyards of Kerala.

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